IPHES-CERCA drives a special issue on traceology in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

Researchers from IPHES-CERCA have played a key role in the edition of the special issue Traceology in the 21st Century: Contributions to Archaeological Science and the Human Journey, recently published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. This monograph brings together the latest international contributions in traceology, a key discipline for understanding how prehistoric societies made and used their tools.

The volume is part of the work carried out by Scientific Commission A17 of the Union Internationale des Sciences Préhistoriques et Protohistoriques (UISPP), focused on the functional study of prehistoric artefacts and their socioeconomic significance. Many of the published articles stem from the scientific sessions held at the UISPP World Congresses in Meknes (Morocco, 2021) and Timișoara (Romania, 2023), continuing a trajectory that began at the 2014 Burgos congress, organised by the IPHES-CERCA team, and which has consistently resulted in high-impact scientific publications.

A constantly evolving discipline

Since Sergey Semenov established the foundations of modern traceology in the 1930s, this method of analysing microtraces and residues on tools has become fundamental to reconstructing past technological and economic activities. The volume highlights how the discipline has evolved methodologically, incorporating advanced techniques such as confocal microscopy, machine learning and 3D digitisation, while maintaining a strong experimental and interdisciplinary focus.

A remarkable scientific contribution

IPHES-CERCA played an active role in the editorial coordination of the volume through Dr. Andreu Ollé, member of the scientific committee, and contributed three highly relevant research articles. The editorial, signed by Pawlik, Longo, Márquez, Ollé and Skakun, defends the continued importance of traceology in today’s archaeological research and presents a collection of 14 articles authored by 55 researchers from 28 institutions across 11 countries.

The studies led by IPHES-CERCA address key topics such as the impact of cleaning protocols on the functional analysis of tools (Cleaning your tools doesn’t mean that the tools are clean), microscope comparison in sedimentary abrasion characterisation (Microscope agnosticism), and the influence of raw material on the development of use-wear. These works exemplify the centre’s leadership in methodological and experimental archaeological research.

IPHES-CERCA contributions to the volume

Editorial: Traceology in the 21st Century: Contributions to Archaeological Science and the Human Journey

Alfred Pawlik, Laura Longo, Belén Márquez, Andreu Ollé, Natalia Skakun

This editorial introduces the special issue dedicated to contemporary traceology, featuring contributions derived from the UISPP Commission’s scientific sessions on functional studies of prehistoric artefacts, held at the World Congresses in Meknes (2021) and Timișoara (2023). The text highlights the relevance and methodological renewal of traceology, from the classic microscopic wear studies to the application of digital technologies, automation and computational learning. The volume includes 14 research articles authored by 55 contributors from 28 institutions and 11 countries, covering a wide range of artefacts (lithic, bone, polished stone) from the Middle Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age. The editorial highlights studies led by IPHES-CERCA members on sedimentary abrasion, tool cleaning, and use-wear development based on raw material. Traceology is presented as a key discipline for understanding the evolution of human capacities and the complexity of prehistoric technological systems.

Pawlik, A., Longo, L., Márquez, B., Ollé, A., & Skakun, N. (2025). Editorial: Traceology in the 21st Century: Contributions to Archaeological Science and the Human Journey. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 65, 105221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105221

Introduction to the Special Issue “Traceology in the 21st Century”: Fifty years of the Experimental-Traceological Laboratory of the Institute for the History of Material Culture, Russian Academy of Sciences, St.-Petersburg

Skakun, Terekhina, Longo, Márquez, Ollé y Pawlik

This article introduces the special issue dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Experimental Traceology Laboratory of the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg), highlighting the pioneering role of Sergey A. Semenov in establishing traceology as a scientific method for studying the functions of ancient tools based on microscopic wear. From its beginnings in the 1930s to the consolidation of the Soviet traceological school and its international projection, the text explores the history, methodological advances, experimental scope, and the professionalisation of the field. It also underscores the global impact of the discipline, the importance of international congresses, and the potential of new digital applications, all while maintaining Semenov’s spirit alive through research, teaching, and scientific collaboration.

Skakun, N., Terekhina, V., Longo, L., Márquez, B., Ollé, A., Pawlik, A.F., 2025. Introduction to the Special Issue “Traceology in the 21st Century”… Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105220

Microscope agnosticism and the characterization of sedimentary abrasion of flint stone tools

Guillermo Bustos-Pérez, Andreu Ollé

This study tackles a central methodological debate: to what extent microscope type influences the characterisation of sedimentary abrasion on lithic tools. Based on an experimental sample of flint artefacts analysed using two different optical systems (Dino-Lite and Sensofar), the authors apply roughness measurements and machine learning techniques to compare the results. Although numerical values differ, similar patterns are observed, suggesting a certain “microscopic agnosticism” in relation to general abrasion trends. This research opens new avenues for establishing robust and comparable methodological standards across laboratories.

Bustos-Pérez, G., & Ollé, A. (2024). Microscope agnosticism… Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 59, 104806. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104806

Cleaning your tools doesn’t mean that the tools are clean. A qualitative and quantitative perspective using confocal microscopy

Anna Francès-Abellán, Juan Luis Fernández-Marchena, Andreu Ollé

This study critically assesses the impact of cleaning protocols on lithic use-wear analysis using confocal microscopy. Based on experimental samples of rock crystal, the authors quantitatively examine how handling residues can alter surface roughness parameters and thus affect metrological outcomes. The study shows significant differences in almost all parameters depending on the degree of cleaning, and ranks these parameters by their sensitivity to contamination. It becomes evident that apparently proper cleaning may not be sufficient and that residues can mimic use-wear traces. This research revisits a classic traceological debate and reframes it from a quantitative perspective, underlining the need for strict cleaning and pre-analysis evaluation procedures.

Francès-Abellán, A., Fernández-Marchena, J.L., & Ollé, A. (2025). Cleaning your tools doesn’t mean that the tools are clean… Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 64, 105121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105121

A consolidated trajectory

From the 2014 Burgos congress to the present, UISPP Commission A17 has maintained a solid editorial record, with the systematic publication of scientific session results in indexed journals. Notable volumes include those derived from the 2014 congress (Quaternary International, vol. 427) and 2018 (Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, vol. 33), all featuring significant contributions from the IPHES-CERCA team. This editorial continuity reflects the centre’s commitment to collaborative, international and high-quality research.